Spring ejection means for die punches and die buttons



J. E. PARKER A ril 6, 1965 SPRING EJECTION MEANS FOR DIE PUNCHES AND DIE BUTTONS Filed Aug. 1, 1962 INVENTOR. JAMES E PARKER ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,176,)98 SHHNG EEETIN MEANS FQR DlE PUNQHES AND BE BUTTON James E. Parker, 18230 Valarie, Wyandotte, Mich. Filed Aug. 1, i962, Ser. No. 2l4fil7 3 Claims. (ill. 279-76) This invention relates generally to a novel and improved construction for metal punching and forming tools adapted for use upon punch presses and the like and, more particularly, to an improvement in such tools for removing the tools from locked position in the tool retainers. The construction of the present invention is operable with various forms of tool retainers having an automatic means for locking a punch or die in position in a retainer, as for example, the automatic locking means shown in US. Patent No. 2,662,773, or any other form of lock device for locking a metal punch or forming tool in a retainer.

In the prior art metal punching and forming tool constructions wherein the punches, dies and the like are mounted in blind bores in a retainer, it is a common occurrence to have a punch or other tool break and become stuck in its mounting bore despite the fact that the means for locking the same in the bore is released. The removal of such a broken punch or the like is a costly and time consuming operation since the entire die must be taken apart to get the broken punch or other tool out of the retainer. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a novel and improved construction for metal forming and punching tools wherein means is provided for automatically eiecting a tool from its mounting bore in a retainer when the tool locking means is released.

it is another object of the present invention to provide a metal punching and forming tool construction which includes means for automatically ejecting a punch or the like in a minimum of time from its retainer when it is desired to repair or replace the punch.

it is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved punch ejection means which is simple and compact in construction, economical of manufacture and efficient in operation.

Gther objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts of the several views.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an elevational sectional view of a metal punch construction made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the structure illustrated in FlG. 1 taken along the line 2-2 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view similar to Fl 1, but showing the punch locking means moved to the released position and the punch in the ejected position; PEG. 4 is a top plan view of a die button made in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

and

FIG. 5 is an elevational mctional view of the die button structure illustrated in PH 4 taken along the line 5-43 thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to "ice to be secured to the retainer block in by any suitable means as by means of a plurality of screws indicated by the numeral 12. The retainer block it} is provided with a cylindrical tool socket 13 and with an angularly disposed cylindrical hole or bore 14 which partially intersects the socket 13.

Operatively mounted in the angular hole 14 is a suitable lock means which includes the retainer ball 15. The lock means further includes a helical compression spring 16 which is disposed behind the ball 15 in the hole 14 and which is adapted to urge the ball 15 out- Wardly of the intersecting portion of hole 14 so that the ball 15 tends to project into the socket or bore 13. Due to the shape of the intersection of the hole 14 and the socket 113, the ball 15 cannot escape from the hole 14.

The upper end of the spring 16 is indicated by the numeral 2? and it is adapted to be extended into the hole 18 formed in the block iii so as to retain the spring 16 in place.

A small hole 19 is formed in the lower exposed face 26 of the retainer block 10 and it is substantially parallel to the socket hole 13 and intersects the locking means hole i l at the ball end thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, a suitable drift pin 21 or the like which is carried'on a suitable handle 22 may be inserted through the hole 19 so that it can push the ball 15 backwardly and upwardly against the opposition of the spring 16, far enough to release the tool 23 which is mounted in the tool socket 13.

The tool 23 is illustrated as a punch having a circular shank which is adapted to be seated in the socket 13. it will be understood that the tool'23 is merely illustrative and that the invention is equally applicable to the removal of dies, tools and other devices which are secured in place in the manner shown in the drawings or by any other equivalent means. The shank portion of the punch 23 is designated by the numeral 24 and the formed or operative end of the punch is illustrated by the numeral 25.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. the shank 24 of the tool 23 is provided with the notch 26 in its wall into which the ball 15 seats whenthe punching tool 23 is inserted into the socket 13 so as to engage the backing plate 11 as shown in HS. 1. The notch 26 is disposed across the exposed end of the hole 14 when the tool 23 is inserted in the socket 13 and the notch 26 is substantially formed as a half of a tear drop as viewed in longitudinal section as in FIG. 1. in efiect, the notch 26 forms a continuation of the hole 14.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the tool 23 is provided with an inwardly extended recess or hole 27 in the upper end thereof. Operatively mounted in the hole 27 is a helicm spring 28 which has the one end thereof adapted to abut against the inner end 2% of the recess 27 and the other end thereof adapted to be seated in the aligned recess 30 formed in the backing plate 11.

It will be seen that when the one pin 2 is inserted through the hole 19 and moved against the ball 15, the ball 15 will be moved upwardly to the position shown in FlG. 3. The spring 28 is in the compressed position as shown in FIG. 1 when the tool 23 is fully inserted in the block in. When the locking ball 15 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 3, the spring 28 will urge the tool 23 downwardly and out of the socket 123 in a quick and efiicient manner. It will be seen that a punching die construction provided with the springejection means of the present invention will save many man hours and money in cases wherein the tool may break off at the shank portion thereof at a point adjacent the retainer block iii. A

F165. 4' and 5 illustrate the invention as being applied to button. block which is mounted on a conventional backing plate Tasman-a1 31 indicates a retainer awases 32; by any suitable means as by the screws 33;. The rewith an annular groove or a recess indicated by the numeral 34 in which is mounted the ejection spring 35. The 7 upper end of the spring 35 is adapted to be seated in the recess '36 formed in the inner face of the backing plate 32. The embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 functions in the same manner as the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for ejecting the die button 23a.

While it Will be apparent that the preferred embodiinents of the invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appre- 'ciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is: j I I 1. In a tool construction, the combination comprising: a retainer block; a tool socket formed in said retainer block; means enclosing the inner end of said socket;

a tool slidably mounted in said tool socket and having a recess in one end thereof terminating in a closed end;

. releasable locking means engaging said tool for releasably holding the same in said tool socket; and

(:3, ejection means mounted in said socket and in said recess and engaging said tool for ejecting the tool When said locking means is disengaged from said tool.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said ejection means comprises ahelical spring having one end engaging the closed end of the recess in said tool and the other end engaging said socket enclosing means, said spring being in the compressed state when said tool is mounted in said tool socket and in the free state when the tool has been ejected from the tool socket, and said spring having a length greater than the length of said recess so as to 'move the tool out of the tool socket when said lock- 7 ing means is disengaged from said tool.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 wherein said tool I recess is formed axially of the inner end thereof and said enclosing means is a backing plate having a recess therein aligned with the tool recess and said ejection means comprises a helical spring having one end in said tool recess and the other end in said backing plate recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. KARL J. vALBRECHT, Examiner. 

1. IN A TOOL CONSTRUCTION, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A RETAINER BLOCK; A TOOL SOCKET FORMED IN SAID RETAINER BLOCK; MEANS ENCLOSING THE INNER END OF SAID SOCKET; A TOOL SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID TOOL SOCKET AND HAVING A RECESS IN ONE END THEREOF TERMINATING IN A CLOSED END; RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS ENGAGING SAID TOOL FOR RELEASEABLY HOLDING THE SAME IN SAID TOOL SOCKET; AND EJECTION MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID SOCKET AND IN SAID RECESS AND ENGAGING SAID TOOL FOR EJECTING THE TOOL 